Is treating “low T” really safe and effective?

An ongoing pharmaceutical marketing blitz promises that treating “low T” with a daily prescription testosterone boost will make men with age-related decline in this hormone feel more alert, energetic, mentally sharp, and fully functional in the bedroom. But in an article published this week in the Perspectives section of The New England Journal of Medicine, a group of FDA scientists reiterated concerns over the widespread use of testosterone supplements in light of unresolved controversies over its effectiveness and long-term safety.
Is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) delivering what these men expect it to? Dr. Christine P. Nguyen, one of the authors of the article, says we just don’t know yet. “The benefits of testosterone therapy have not been confirmed for the treatment of men who have low testosterone levels due to aging, even if there are symptoms that seem related to the low testosterone,” she says.
The testosterone boom
As the debate over safety and effectiveness smolders, the testosterone business is still booming. In 2013, 2.2 million American men were on prescription testosterone, and 80% of them were ages 40 to 74. Some suffer from verifiable medical problems that cause testosterone levels to plummet, like malfunctioning testes or pituitary gland tumors. No one disputes that these cases of “classical hypogonadism” warrant testosterone therapy (especially if the man starts to lose his hair and have hot flashes).
However, for most men on TRT, thi...

Source: New Harvard Health Information - August 20, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Daniel Pendick Tags: Men's Health low T testosterone Source Type: news